History hero

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Paterson Joseph and Ignatius Sancho

My history hero Paterson Joseph chooses Ignatius Sancho . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Adam Henson and Robert Bakewell

My history hero Adam Henson chooses Robert Bakewell . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Ian Hislop and Alfred the Great

My history hero Ian Hislop chooses Alfred the Great . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert and Edward Jenner

My history hero Dame Sarah Gilbert chooses Edward Jenner . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Sarah Smith and Eleanor of Aquitaine

My history hero Sarah Smith chooses Eleanor of Aquitaine . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Craig Charles and Muhammad Ali

My history hero Craig Charles chooses Muhammad Ali . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Ross Kemp and Jesse Owens

My history hero Ross Kemp chooses Jesse Owens . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Rory Stewart chooses Thomas More as a history hero (Photos courtesy of Getty and Bridgeman)

My history hero Rory Stewart chooses Thomas More . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Laura Mvulu and Thelonius Monk

My history hero Laura Mvula chooses Thelonious Monk . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Jackie Weaver and Elizabeth I

History hero Jackie Weaver chooses Elizabeth I . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Nisha Katona and Samuel Pepys

History hero Nisha Katona chooses Samuel Pepys (1633–1703) . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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A bust of Ashoka the Great

History hero Nihal Arthanayake chooses Ashoka the Great (c304–c232 BC) . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

Laurence Olivier pictured in New York, 1933. “In my young mind he was theatrical royalty – almost a kind of monarch,” says Steven Berkoff. (Image by Getty Images)

History hero Steven Berkoff chooses Laurence Olivier (1907–89)

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A colourised portrait of Anton Chekhov, from 1901

History hero William Boyd chooses Anton Chekhov (1860–1904) . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.

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Eric Liddell winning the 400-metre final at the 1924 Olympic Games

History hero Dan Walker chooses Eric Liddell (1902–45) . This is a premium piece of content available to subscribed users.